Tuesday Top Ten: Lollapalooza Edition 2021

The weekend before last was the 16th edition of Lollapalooza at Grant Park here in Chicago.  I know I take it for granted (no pun intended), but I can't imagine there's a better backdrop for a music festival anywhere else in the world.

It was my 16th Lolla overall (and 15th since it has been at Grant Park).  It was obviously a little different this year, given that we are in the midst of a global pandemic.  Attendees were required to bring printed out proof of either a COVID vaccine or a negative COVID test within 72 hours.

I had assumed this would slow down the entry process -- which can be brutally slow to begin with -- but it didn't at all.  Getting through security was a breeze all four days, which I think has a lot to do with a new bag policy that limits the size of bags people can bring in and requires clear bags, cutting down on the logjams caused by security searching through bags.

I started off the "weekend" with an "aftershow," seeing Black Pistol Fire at the Empty Bottle the night before Lolla kicked off.  It was the first concert I had been to in about 20 months, which was my longest drought since I got my drivers license.  As you know, I love live music, so it was cathartic being able to see it again, even if I hung in the back because, you know, the Delta variant.

As for Lolla itself, the weather was great.  It was in the 70s or low 80s during the day, and it was mostly sunny.  There wasn't any rain during the fest, so that was obviously beneficial to my flip flop situation.  Even with the COVID-related entry requirements, I generally stayed on the fringes during shows because I assume that a good number of the millennials and Gen Zers probably had forged vaccine cards or negative test printouts.  I still managed to have a damn good time, even if I wasn't in the shit.

As I walked into the fest Thursday afternoon, I felt some sense of normalcy for the first time in a while.  While listening to the guitarist from Dayglow shred on a solo, I couldn't help but smile, even if I was forced to drink a Bud Light seltzer for $11.  Then I walked across the field to see Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot introduce the Black Pumas, which was pretty cool.

Later on, I met up with some friends to see Jimmy Eat World, and one friend arrived just as they were starting "The Middle."  Overcome with joy from being able to go to concerts again and being able to hang out with friends for the first time in a year and a half, and, again, the pain of having to pay $11 for a Bud Light seltzer, tears just started streaming down her face.

At least the Black Cherry Bud Light seltzers came in these cool Lolla cans.

I took my kids Friday, although unfortunately because of COVID, there wasn't the usual Kidzapalooza area.  They still had a good time, got to listen to some great music, heard a lot of bad language, and got to to see how they shouldn't dress when they become teenagers.  

Since there weren't any headliners I wanted to see Friday night, I took them home, and then went to see Backseat Lovers at an aftershow at Schuba's (again, staying in the back).

Saturday was a full day.  Early on in the day, I walked by a couple getting married by Buckingham Fountain, which is definitely a Lolla first.  

I got to see Fred Durst dressed as a grandpa, and then capped off the night with Journey and then a trip to the local dive bar afterward.  That ended up being a marginally poor decision, as I woke up Sunday with my first real hangover in 18 months.  But I was not deterred, and I put in another full day on Sunday, culminating with an awesome Foo Fighters show.

But now onto the music.  As usual, I saw great bands and artists that I already knew about, but more importantly, discovered plenty of others that I didn't really know much (or anything) about before seeing them.  Here are the bands and artists for which I saw two or more songs over the course of the weekend:

Thursday:  Dayglow, Black Pumas, Jimmy Eat World, All Time Low, Migrant Motel, Miley Cyrus

Friday:  Tai Verdes, Black Pistol Fire, JAWNY, Sa-Roc, White Reaper

Saturday:  Glove, Dante Elephante, MONOPHONICS, Backseat Lovers, Mt. Joy, Young the Giant, Limp Bizkit, Journey

Sunday:  Aquadolls, Radkey, Neil Francis, Sarah Barrios, Brittany Howard, Modest Mouse, Band of Horses, Foo Fighters

Here are my top ten shows that I saw over the course of the weekend (in chronological order):

Honorable Mention:  Black Pumas, Migrant Motel, Black Pistol Fire, Backseat Lovers, Aquadolls, Sarah Barrios

1.  Jimmy Eat World

I had never seen Jimmy Eat World before, and they overlapped with Black Pumas, which was kind of a bummer because I wanted to see both bands.  So, I watched the first half of Black Pumas and then made my way to the opposite end of the fest for the second half of Jimmy Eat World.  They were great.  Everyone needs more power pop in their lives.

2.  Miley Cyrus

Going into the weekend, I was kind of ho-hum about seeing Miley Cyrus.  Her music isn't really my bag, but I figured she'd put on a great show -- and she crushed it.  It was far more rock and roll than I expected.  She brought out Billy Idol to sing a duet of "White Wedding," brought out Wiz Khalifa and Juicy J for a cover of Mike WILL Made-It's "23" (which I assume is the first time I have ever heard that song), covered Blondie's "Heart of Glass," Cher's "Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)," and Temple of the Dog's "Say Hello 2 Heaven," and mixed in interludes of The Pixies' "Where Is My Mind" and Prince/Sinead O'Connor's "Nothing Compares 2 U" in a couple songs.  And the stage show itself was great.  There was even one song where the big screen showed images of skeletons in various sexual positions -- or I should say, boning -- on a motorcycle.  Good times.

3.  Tai Verdes

I knew little to nothing (read: nothing) about Tai Verdes before I saw him, and I thought he was great.  He's got an infectious smile, a pleasant stage demeanor, quirky songs about everyday life (like "We Would Have Some Cute Kids"), and a band that could rock out when called upon to do so.  And he covered Weezer's "Beverly Hills" to boot.

4.  Sa-Roc

Sa-Roc is a DC-born hip hop artist who didn't start performing until she was about 30.  Unlike a lot of other hip hop acts that performed at Lolla, she doesn't dabble in mumble rap, trap, or the often drowsy music that passes for hip hop these days.  She was definitely more old school, '90s hip hop influenced, which makes a lot of sense, given that she's almost 40.  So it was more rhyming, rapping, and beats than Auto-tune and boredom.  I enjoyed it, and my kids enjoyed it, even with (or because of) some colorful language.

5.  White Reaper

I saw these guys at Riot Fest in 2019, and I thought they were good then, but I thought this show was even better.  They rocked hard and shredded, which is all a guy like me can ask for.

6.  Dante Elephante

These guys were a late add, as another band had to cancel because someone got COVID.  They played a nice mix of funk and dance rock.  It was another one of those bands that I had never heard of before, but I'm glad I saw them because they made at least one new fan.

7.  Limp Bizkit

This was the band I was most curious to see at Lolla, and they didn't disappoint.  As I mentioned above, Fred Durst came out in a wig and a grey fu manchu, looking very much like what I assume Cochese from the Beastie Boys' "Sabotage" video would look like in retirement, were he to have been an actual real person.  Anyway, this created quite the juxtaposition as he belted out "Break Stuff."  

8.  Journey

Journey was up against Post Malone on Saturday night, but I expected the crowd to be closer to 50/50 than it was.  Apparently, face tattoos are a bigger draw than a band in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but then again, the youth is wasted on the young.  Journey put on a great show, from the opening iconic keyboard intro to "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" to the final note of "Don't Stop Believin'."

9.  Radkey

These guys are opening for Foo Fighters on their tour, and I can see why the Foos chose them.  A power trio that plays a mix of punk and hard rock, they both look the part and play the part.  The lead singer/guitarist has a Glenn Danzig-esque voice, which gave them a little bit of a Misfits vibe, though without the devilocks, and their bassist had kind of a Phil Lynott vibe going on.  They rocked, so if you like rock and roll, check them out.

10.  Foo Fighters

The fest ended with a bang, as the Foo Fighters tore it up (as they usually do).  In addition to their own excellent tunes, there was an interlude of Focus's "Hocus Pocus" during "The Pretender," a cover of The Bee Gees' "You Should Be Dancing," a cover of Queen's "Somebody to Love," which was sung magnificently by drummer Taylor Hawkins, and a cover of X's "Nausea," sung by Dave Grohl's daughter Violet.